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City of Hoboken
Hudson County, New Jersey
DRAFT
Plan Date: March 27, 2017
Hoboken Post Office
Redevelopment Plan
For the Post Office Rehabilitation Area,
Property in & around Block 231.01, Lot 1
DRAFT
pg. 1
HOBOKEN POST OFFICE
REDEVELOPMENT PLAN
Property in & around Block 231.01, Lot 1
City of Hoboken
Hudson County, New Jersey
Recommended by the Hoboken Planning Board: _____________
Adopted by the Hoboken City Council: ________________
Prepared by:
_______________________________
David Roberts, AICP, PP, LLA, RLA, , Project Manager
Daniel Bloch, AICP, PP
Darlene Green, AICP, PP
Andrew Hipolit, PE, PP, CME, CPWM,
John Jahr, TSOS
DRAFT
pg. 2
Acknowledgements
Mayor and Council
Mayor Dawn Zimmer
Ravinder Bhalla, Council-at-Large
James Doyle, Council-at-Large
David Mello, Council-at-Large
Michael DeFusco, Councilman, 1st Ward
Tiffanie Fisher, Councilwoman, 2nd Ward
Michael Russo, Councilman, 3rd Ward
Ruben Ramos, Jr., Councilman, 4th Ward
Peter Cunningham, Councilman, 5th Ward
Jennifer Giattino, Council President, 6th Ward
City of Hoboken Professional Staff
Stephen D. Marks, PP, AICP, Business Administrator
Brandy Forbes, PP, AICP, Director of Community Development
Jessica L. Giorgianni, PP, AICP, Principal Planner
Planning Board
Frank Magaletta, Chairman, Class IV
Ryan Peene, Vice Chairman, Class IV
Caleb Stratton, Mayoral Designee, Class I
Brandy Forbes, Community Development Director, Class II
James Doyle, Class III Member (Council appointee)
Ann Graham, Class IV
Gary Holtzman, Class IV
Rami Pinchevsky, Class IV
Caleb McKenzie, Class IV
Tom Jacobson, 1st Alternate
Kelly O’Connor, 2nd Alternate
Redevelopment Legal Counsel
Maraziti Falcon, LLP
Joseph J. Maraziti, Jr., Esq.
Christopher D. Miller, Esq.
DRAFT
pg. 3
CONTENTS
I. Introduction .................................................................................... 4
Required Redevelopment Plan Components ....................................... 5
II. Post Office Rehabilitation Area ..................................................... 6
Area Description ................................................................................. 6
Existing Zoning ..................................................................................... 7
III. The Need for Rehabilitation .......................................................... 9
IV. Goals, Objectives & Vision .............................................................. 11
Vision ................................................................................................... 11
V. Relationship to Local Objectives .................................................. 12
2004 Master Plan................................................................................ 12
2010 Reexamination Report ............................................................... 15
2010 Hoboken Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan ........................................... 15
2013 Green Infrastructure Strategic Plan ........................................... 16
Hoboken Yard Redevelopment Plan .................................................. 18
Conclusion .......................................................................................... 18
Relationship to Other Plans ................................................................. 18
Plans of Adjacent Communities ......................................................... 18
Hudson County Master Plan ............................................................... 19
New Jersey State Plan ........................................................................ 20
VI. Redevelopment Plan ..................................................................... 21
Land Use & Development Requirements ............................................23
Traffic Control, Parking & Loading .................................................... 29
Architectural Design Standards......................................................... 35
Green Infrastructure Design Standards ............................................. 38
Affordable Housing ........................................................................... 38
Flood Hazard Prevention ................................................................... 39
Implementation ................................................................................... 43
General Provisions ............................................................................. 43
Properties To Be Acquired ................................................................. 47
Relocation Plan .................................................................................. 47
Tax Abatement Program ................................................................... 47
Other Applicable Design & Performance Standards ......................... 47
Non-Discrimination Provisions .......................................................... 47
Escrows .............................................................................................. 48
Infrastructure .................................................................................... 48
Amendments to the Redevelopment Plan ........................................ 48
Plan Duration - Certificates of Completion & Compliance ................. 48
Severability ........................................................................................ 49
DRAFT
pg. 4
I. INTRODUCTION
Built in 1931, the two-story Hoboken Post Office has been a landmark
along River Street for over 80 years. The Post Office has been
identified by the City’s master planning documents as an important
landmark that should be preserved, and further investigated for a
potential national, state and/or local historic designation. In
October of 2012, the government facility was designated by the
Hoboken City Council as an Area In Need of Rehabilitation under the
Local Redevelopment and Housing Law (“LRHL”) (N.J.S.A. 40A:12A-1
et. seq.).
Meanwhile, the United States Postal Service (“USPS”) has reportedly
executed a purchase agreement with KMS Development Partners,
LLC (“KMS”). The USPS proposes to sell KMS a 0.4-acre portion of
the federally-owned land for development of a hotel in an area
currently occupied by the Post Office’s parking lot, loading bay and
mechanical wing; additionally, USPS has reportedly contracted KMS
to make modifications to the existing Post Office building to
accommodate continued postal operations. These include a new
loading dock, parking for postal delivery vehicles, new mechanical
wing, and other improvements to the building. According to the
USPS, the Hoboken Post Office will remain a full-service facility,
serving the City’s residents and workers.
The City has not received or reviewed the referenced purchase
agreement.
Figure 1: Hoboken Post Office, view from River Street. 1
Figure 2: Rear of Post Office site being used for parking and loading. 2
DRAFT
pg. 5
REQUIRED REDEVELOPMENT PLAN COMPONENTS
This document has been prepared in accordance with Section
40A:12A-7a of the LRHL, which requires redevelopment plans to
include for the planning, development, redevelopment or
rehabilitation of the designated area. Specifically:
1. The Redevelopment Plan’s relationship to definite local
objectives as to appropriate land uses, density of population
and improved traffic and public transportation, public utilities,
recreational and community facilities and other public
improvements. (See Chapter V.)
2. Proposed land uses and building requirements in the project
area. (See Chapter VII.)
3. Adequate provisions for the temporary and permanent
relocation, as necessary, of residents in the project area,
including an estimate of the extent to which decent, safe and
sanitary dwelling units affordable to displaced residents will be
available to them in the existing local housing market. (See
Chapter VII.)
4. An identification of any property within the area, which is
proposed to be acquired in accordance with the
Redevelopment Plan. (See Chapter VII.)
5. Any significant relationship of the Redevelopment Plan to the
master plans of contiguous municipalities; the master plan of
the county in which the municipality is located; the State
Development and Redevelopment Plan adopted pursuant to
the “State Planning Act”, P.L. 1985, c.398 (C.52:18A-196 et al.).
(See Chapter V.)
6. Description of the Plan relationship to pertinent municipal
development regulations as defined in the Municipal Land Use
Law (MLUL). The Plan shall supersede applicable provisions of
the development regulations of the municipality or constitute
an overlay zoning district within the study area. (See Chapter
II.)
7. All provisions of the Redevelopment Plan shall be either
substantially consistent with the municipal master plan or
designed to effectuate the master plan. (See Chapter V.)
8. An inventory of all housing units affordable to low and
moderate income households that are to be removed as a
result of implementation of the redevelopment plan, whether
as a result of subsidies or market conditions. (See Chapter VI)
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pg. 6
II. POST OFFICE REHABILITATION AREA
AREA DESCRIPTION
The Hoboken Post Office Site was designated by the City as an Area
In Need of Rehabilitation on October 17, 2012. The designation
encompasses “the property commonly known as Block 231.01, Lot 1 on
the tax map of the City of Hoboken, that portion of the public right-of-
way of Newark Street from and including the intersection with River
Street to the end of Newark Street approximately 250 feet east of River
Street; and that portion of the public right-of-way of River Street from
and including the intersection with Newark Street to and including the
intersection with First Street”, hereafter known as the Post Office
Rehabilitation Area.3 Figure 3 below illustrates the Post Office
Rehabilitation Area.
Figure 3: Hoboken Tax Sheet #44, Post Office Rehabilitation Area
The Post Office Rehabilitation Area is bound by River Street, Newark
Street, First Street and Sinatra Drive. Block 231.01, Lot 1, which
contains the Hoboken Post Office, encompasses 0.789 acres.4 The
Post Office Rehabilitation Area essentially surrounds the mixed-use
building located on Lot 2 (occupied by Wells Fargo on the first floor).
The Post Office Rehabilitation Area faces the waterfront, which has
access to the Hoboken Pier. To the north is the South Waterfront
Redevelopment Area, which includes retail, office, a W Hotel, luxury
rentals and condominiums. To the west, along River Street and
Washington Street, there is a mix of uses consisting primarily of retail
uses along the street frontages with residential and office uses on
the upper floors. Finally, to the south, is the Hoboken Terminal
Redevelopment Area. Figure 4 provides an aerial image of the
Rehabilitation Area.
Figure 4: Aerial Imagery of Post Office Rehabilitation Area
(north facing view)5
DRAFT
pg. 7
EXISTING ZONING
The Hoboken Post Office is presently zoned Central Business District
– Historic Subdistrict (CBD(H)). (See Figure 5 for the site’s location
on the City’s Zoning Map.) As per §196-19A:
The purpose of the CBD District is to encourage the location
of regional and city-wide services and commercial activities;
to facilitate the development of buildings for permanent and
transient residents appropriate to the proximity of the City’s
transportation terminal; and to support the objectives of the
City’s historic district.
The purpose of the Historic Subdistrict is to preserve and
enhance the best elements of the subdistrict’s traditional
character by architectural and other controls; to protect
against destruction of or undesirable encroachment upon
the area; and to ensure that new structures and uses within
the district will be in keeping with the character to be
preserved and enhanced.
Permitted principal uses are as follows:
Commercial recreation
Instructional use
Office buildings
Offices, including studios and clinics
Hotels and motels
Public buildings and uses, including governmental buildings,
administrative offices, parks and plazas
Residential buildings
Restaurants and bars
Retail business or service
Figure 5: Hoboken Zoning Map, Location of Post Office Rehabilitation Area
Conditional uses in the CDB(H) are as follows:
Public parking garages and lots
Outdoor uses on public or private property as follows:
o Restaurants
o Arts and crafts exhibits
o Weekly markets
Planned unit residential development
Sidewalk cafes
Accessory use customarily incidental to a principal permitted
use, but not located on the same parcel or, if contiguous,
within the same zoning district
DRAFT
pg. 8
Area, yard and building requirements for principal and accessory
buildings are as follows:
Lot area, minimum:
o CBD District: 5,000 square feet
o CBD(H) District: 2,000 square feet
Lot width, minimum:
o CBD District: 50 feet
o CBD(H) District: 20 feet
Lot depth, minimum:
o CBD District: 100 feet
o CBD(H) District: 100 feet
Lot coverage, maximum:
o CBD District, commercial: 80%
o CBD District, residential or the residential portion of
mixed use: 60%. Residential floors in mixed-use
buildings must be no closer to the rear lot line than 30
feet
o CBD(H) District: 60%
Accessory building lot coverage, maximum:
o CBD District: not applicable
o CBD(H) District: 10%
Building height, maximum:
o CBD District: 16 stories or 160 feet
o CBD(H) Subdistrict: prevailing, but not to exceed five
stories
Front yard, minimum:
o CBD District: 10 feet
o CBD(H) Subdistrict: prevailing, where applicable;
otherwise a maximum of five feet
Side yard, minimum:
o CBD District: zero or 10 feet
o CBD(H) Subdistrict: zero or 10 feet
Rear yard, minimum:
o CBD District: 30 feet
o CBD(H) Subdistrict: 30 feet or 30% of lot depth,
whichever is less, but in no event shall a rear building
wall be more than 70 feet from the front lot line
Density:
o Residential density of development of a site will be
determined by site area per dwelling unit and
maximum number of dwelling units adjusted where
necessary for other on-site principal uses as calculated
below:
Site area per dwelling unit (SA/DU), minimum:
500 square feet per dwelling unit
Dwelling units, maximum: site areas divided by
500
Where principal uses other than residential are
proposed for the subject building (such as
retail or office), the percentage of total
permitted floor area occupied by the
nonresidential use shall be applied against the
maximum number of dwelling units and the
residential units shall be reduced thereby. Any
fraction shall be equivalent to a whole
dwelling unit.
Off-street parking and loading is required as follows:
o CBD District: One parking space per 1,000 square feet
of gross floor area per principal permitted
nonresidential use
o CBD(H) Subdistrict: One off-street parking space per
dwelling unit
DRAFT
pg. 9
III. THE NEED FOR REHABILITATION
This Redevelopment Plan has been prepared in accordance with
N.J.S.A. 40A:12A-7A, which provides that redevelopment projects
(inclusive of rehabilitation) may only be undertaken or carried out in
accordance with a Redevelopment Plan adopted by ordinance of the
municipal governing body, upon its findings that the specifically
delineated project area is an area in need of rehabilitation, according
to the criteria set forth in Section 14 of the LRHL.
The criteria for designating an “area in need of rehabilitation” as
identified in the LRHL (N.J.S.A. 40A:12A-et. seq.), does not require
the satisfaction of one of the eight criteria required of a
redevelopment investigation. Instead, the governing body may
designate an area in need of rehabilitation if it is determined that the
area exhibits any one of the following conditions:
(1) a significant portion of structures therein are in a deteriorated or substandard condition;
(2) more than half of the housing stock in the delineated area is at least 50 years old;
(3) there is a pattern of vacancy, abandonment or underutilization of properties in the area;
(4) there is a persistent arrearage of property tax payments on properties in the area;
(5) environmental contamination is discouraging improvements and investment in properties in the area; or
(6) a majority of the water and sewer infrastructure in the delineated area is at least 50 years old and is in need of repair or substantial maintenance.
Once the conditions are determined satisfied and upon an
affirmative declaration of such, the City may proceed to the
preparation of a Redevelopment Plan (N.J.S.A. 40A:12A-1 et seq.).
A rehabilitation declaration affords the City of Hoboken all of the
powers of redevelopment (40A:12A-8) with the following exceptions
– the City may not use eminent domain and it may not provide for
long-term tax abatements. However, a rehabilitation designation
does provide the City with the ability to grant five-year tax
abatements and exemptions.
The City Council, in a resolution dated September 5, 2012, formally
requested that the Planning Board conduct a public hearing and
make recommendations. A report entitled Post Office Site – Area In
Need of Rehabilitation; Existing Water and Combined Sanitary/Storm
Sewer Study was prepared for the Post Office Rehabilitation Area on
August 3, 2012. The report found that the Post Office Rehabilitation
Area meets the conditions for an Area in Need of Rehabilitation
designation pursuant to the Local Redevelopment and Housing Law
(N.J.S.A. 40A:12A-1 et seq.) and is based on the following factual
findings:
1. The combined sanitary sewer/drainage system within the Post
Office Rehabilitation Area was most likely constructed
between 1919 and 1939, but could have been constructed as
far back as 1900. The sanitary sewer system is at least 73 years
old.
2. The exact age of the water system is unknown. However,
stampings on existing pipes excavated for repairs indicate the
years 1857, 1867 and 1869. This would make the water system
at least 142 years old.
DRAFT
pg. 10
3. Due to water main breaks that interrupt water service to City
residents, it is clear that the water system will benefit from a
rehabilitation program.
4. Due to repeated flooding of the area because of the
undersized combined sanitary/storm sewer system, it is clear
that the combined sanitary/storm sewer system will benefit
from a rehabilitation program.
5. The rehabilitation programs for both the water and sewer
systems will prevent further deterioration and promote the
overall development of the community by further protecting
the health, safety and welfare of the City.6
Based on the findings of the above report, the Planning Board found
that the area satisfied the statutory criteria to be designated as an
Area in Need of Rehabilitation under Section 14 of the LRHL and
recommended said designation for the area.
As a result of the above, the City Council adopted Resolution #12-794
on October 17, 2012 designating the Post Office Rehabilitation Area
shown on page 5.
Figure 6: Sanitary Sewer Manhole Cover in Post Office Rehabilitation Area,
Stamped 1956.
DRAFT
pg. 11
IV. GOALS, OBJECTIVES & VISION
The primary goal of the Post Office Redevelopment Plan is to
improve the Gateway experience to the waterfront and into
Hoboken by advancing the potential of creating needed hotel space
in close proximity to the Hoboken Terminal, and transforming the
area’s streets into “complete streets” that safely accommodate all
users.
The Post Office Rehabilitation Area objectives are as follows:
Create a pleasant pedestrian and bicycle connection between River Street and the waterfront by constructing safer walkways, bikeways, and an appealing streetscape.
Preserve the Hoboken Post Office as an important landmark.
Keep the Hoboken Post Office open for business with improved operations.
Design the site to maximize compatibility between hotel and post office operations on the same site.
Integrate new development on the Post Office site in a way that respects the character of the surrounding historic district and embraces the adjacent waterfront asset.
Create a world-class hotel with stunning architecture and high quality design materials.
Create hotel amenities for the Hoboken public, including restaurants, bars, and usable rooftop space with waterfront views.
Add new event space options for residents, non-profit organizations and the business community.
Effectively address vehicle circulation and parking demands generated by hotel and post office uses for employees, guests, patrons, deliveries, and all visitors to the site. Ensure
circulation and parking for the site do not negatively impact surrounding streets, but rather improve upon existing conditions.
Incorporate resiliency measures into the site and buildings to ensure protection from flood events.
Design the building so as to respect the recreation uses at Pier A Park; most notably, to minimize size of the shadow that a new building in this location would create, by developing a building with a slender design.
Promulgate the recommendations of the City’s Master Plans and other planning documents, as discussed in the following Section.
VISION
The vision for the Post Office Rehabilitation Area is as follows:
The underutilized parking lot that occupies prime waterfront real
estate is to be redeveloped with a new upscale hotel. The public
use portions of the United States Post Office, including the
historic Newark Street and River Street facades, are to be
preserved. The hotel will provide the Hoboken community with
much needed meeting and event space, and amenities for the
public to enjoy, such as one or more restaurants and bars. Wide
sidewalks and new streetscape features are to be added to
Newark Street, improving pedestrian connectivity between the
waterfront and points west. The new development is to
embrace the waterfront location and activate the block of
Sinatra Drive between First Street and Newark Street.
The new structure should respect its surrounding context,
without duplicating or imitating the style of existing buildings. It
should be a good neighbor, and a product of its own time.
DRAFT
pg. 12
V. RELATIONSHIP TO LOCAL OBJECTIVES
In addition to the Rehabilitation Area-specific goals and objectives,
the LRHL requires that the Redevelopment Plan indicate its
relationship to definite local objectives regarding land uses,
population density, traffic and public transportation, public utilities,
recreational and community facilities, and other public
improvements. This ensures that the goals and objectives of the
Redevelopment Plan are consistent with or will support the broader
community-wide goals of the City’s master plan.
The 2004 Master Plan and 2010 Master Plan Reexamination Report
provide the basis for the long-range planning and zoning efforts for
the City. These documents provide insight, and both specific and
general recommendations for the Post Office and/or the intent to
encourage hotel development near the Hoboken Terminal. Other
relevant policy documents, such as the 2010 Bicycle and Pedestrian
Plan, 2013 Green Infrastructure Strategic Plan and the
Redevelopment Plan for the adjacent Hoboken Terminal and Rail
Yard Redevelopment Area, were also reviewed for policy
recommendations with respect to this site. As shown in the
following sections, the Hoboken Post Office Redevelopment Plan
furthers and promotes a number of objectives outlined in the City’s
planning documents.
2004 MASTER PLAN
Master plan objectives relevant to the Hoboken Post Office
Redevelopment Plan are listed by master plan element below.
COMMUNITY FACILITIES PLAN ELEMENT
The Community Facilities Plan Element of the 2004 Master Plan
recommends the following:
Lobby the US Postal Service to relocate trucks from the main post
office. The existing Post Office and in particular its loading area occupy
prime waterfront property at the entrance to Pier A Park. A new main
postal facility with adequate space for vehicles should be created away
from the core of the City in a less obtrusive location where trucks can
come and go more freely. The existing building should be reused for
public or institutional use, with a portion reserved for postal windows
and post office boxes. The loading area facing the park could be
redeveloped with an open space component, perhaps as an outdoor
café area. The existing smaller post office facilities throughout the City
should be maintained. The City should be prepared to assist the Postal
Service with finding a substitute site with the adequate parking. The
northwest quarter of the City would appear to offer the best and most
cost-effective sites for what is ultimately a small distribution center.7
LAND USE PLAN ELEMENT
The Land Use Plan Element, Part I recommended:
Encourage any future redevelopment of existing public buildings for
public, cultural, and civic uses. Hoboken has lost many of its former
public buildings to reuse by the private sector. While this technique has
perhaps saved some historic structures by providing financially viable
restoration options, the City has many community facilities and
recreation needs with limited space for development of such amenities.
The continuing escalation in property values also has made it
prohibitive for government acquisition of new facilities without
significant subsidies or other market intervention. The City should
DRAFT
pg. 13
protect its existing resources, and consider them for public reuse
before losing even more of such facilities. Exceptions should be
considered only when the high value of property warrants its sale, and
the proceeds will support the purchase of community facilities
elsewhere in Hoboken.8
The Land Use Plan Element, Part II recommended:
Diversify uses in the main Post Office building. The existing main post
office building is architecturally distinctive. Its location is also
convenient to many residents and workers in the area. However, the
need to provide loading and truck parking results in the inefficient use
of the block on which the post office is located. Moving the more
"industrial" operations of the post office to another location with more
space and better vehicular access could result in improvements to this
area. Additional detail is provided in the Community Facilities chapter.9
Encourage hotels in the area near the Terminal. Providing overnight
accommodations would increase activity in this area and provide a
needed service for residents, businesses, and visitors. The design and
nature of any hotel would need to be sensitive to the pedestrian-
oriented character of the area. Any parking provided in conjunction
with this use should be shared with other uses, possibly incorporating
existing lots that could be converted to structured parking.10
Redesign the street system in the Terminal area. The current road network in this area accommodates a variety of trips, including passenger pick-ups and dropoffs,
deliveries for local businesses, and through traffic. The streets around the Terminal should be redesigned to divert through-traffic around the area and
improve pedestrian safety. Guiding principles for such changes, including possible modifications to traffic patterns, are shown on
Figure 7. Other particular actions should include ensuring that
sidewalks are made as wide as possible, with full-height curbs to
prevent vehicles from pulling up onto sidewalks to load, unload, or
park (as happens somewhat regularly on Newark Street at Hudson
Place).11
Figure 7: Terminal Area Circulation Concept from 2004 Master Plan
DRAFT
pg. 14
Figure 8: View from First Street looking east towards the waterfront.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN ELEMENT
The Economic Development Plan Element recommends the
following:
Promote overnight accommodations. The generalized distribution of
these uses is as follows: business hotels within walking distance of
Hoboken Terminal, extended stay hotels north of Fourteenth Street,
and bed and breakfasts in a limited area close to the Terminal in
accordance with the specific regulations outlined in Part II of the Land
Use Plan Element.12
HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLAN ELEMENT
The Historic Preservation Element provides a listing of all properties
and districts that have already been identified by various entities,
including the New Jersey Historic Preservation Office, the City of
Hoboken and various private historic preservation consulting firms
during the course of their investigations in environmental reviews,
among others. It also includes properties that have been identified
in previous surveys and later demolished, as well as properties
outside previously surveyed areas that have been recommended for
further evaluation.
The Post Office Rehabilitation Area is identified in Table VIII-4 of the
2004 Master Plan as a previously unidentified property needing
further investigation for potential state register or national register
eligibility, local recognition or neighborhood rehabilitation program
eligibility.
Despite this, the Post Office Rehabilitation Area is located within the
Southern Hoboken Historic District, (DOE 1980; SHPO Op. 1980, 1991;
Local Cert. 1981): South of Fourth Street to the Ferry Terminal,
including portions of Bloomfield, Hudson, Newark, River,
Washington, First, Second, Third and Fourth Streets and Observer
Highway.13
The Historic Preservation Element recommended the following:
Discourage the unnecessary demolition or other destruction of
historic resources. As Hoboken continues to be redeveloped, it is
imperative that remnants of its past are not all removed. Existing
structures can be reused or maintained, as noted above, even if not for
their original purposes. Structures to be preserved include buildings as
well as features such as signs, smokestacks, and other relics of
Hoboken’s industrial past.14
Encourage proper maintenance of and reinvestment in buildings and
structures within the City. The high cost of restoring a building is
sometimes cited as a reason why it should instead be demolished. This
occurrence can be minimized by encouraging continual upkeep of older
DRAFT
pg. 15
buildings. The City should encourage this practice, and assist as
possible, whether through direct involvement or indirectly by helping
obtain outside funding.15
Encourage contemporary building designs for new construction that
complement Hoboken’s historic buildings without mimicking them.
New development and redevelopment should take into account the
surrounding context. However, it is not always desirable to have new
construction consist solely of faux historical reconstructions. The City
should enact standards for assessing the design of any proposed
addition to or alteration of a structure located within a historic district
or listed or found eligible for the New Jersey and/or National Registers
of Historic Places, or any new construction on property occupied by a
historic structure or within a historic district. A possible basis for these
standards could be the criteria listed in Table VIII-5. To the greatest
extent possible, these regulations should be applicable to applications
to the Historic Preservation Commission, Planning Board, and Board of
Adjustment.16
2010 REEXAMINATION REPORT
The 2010 Reexamination Report was adopted in March of 2011. The
2010 Reexamination Report notes changes to the City since the 2004
Master Plan and makes specific recommendations for both the City
and the Post Office Rehabilitation Area.
The 2010 Reexamination Report notes the following in regard to the
Post Office Rehabilitation Area:
“Diversify uses in the main Post Office building; move the more
“industrial” operations of the post office to another location”. 17 No
discussions have occurred with the Post Office to determine if such a
move is possible; no zoning actions have been taken.
“Encourage appropriate redevelopment of key underutilized sites;
encourage hotels in the area near the Terminal”.18 No detailed
examination of each underutilized site has been prepared as needed
prior to making necessary amendments to the zoning ordinance.
2010 HOBOKEN BICYCLE & PEDESTRIAN PLAN
In December of 2010 the City of Hoboken Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan
was approved. It was prepared to address concerns of walking and
bicycling within Hoboken. The Post Office Rehabilitation Area is
located within one of the four concept areas studied by the Hoboken
Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan.
Page 22 of the Hoboken Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan includes an
Existing Conditions, Opportunities & Constraints Map. The Post
Office Rehabilitation Area is shown as missing its sidewalk along
Newark Street. Additionally, the intersection of Newark Street and
River Street is labeled “difficult intersection”.
The Hoboken Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan recommends a “painted
intersection” for the intersection of Newark Street and River Street.
According to the document, a painted intersection “is a mural that is
painted by a community group on the pavement at an intersection.
Painted intersections help give a community a sense of place. They
may also help to slow traffic”.19
The recommendations map of the Hoboken Bicycle and Pedestrian
Plan (Figure 10) illustrates where design improvements should be
made to Hoboken’s current transportation system. For the Post
Office Rehabilitation Area the recommendations include:
Painted intersection for River Street and Newark Street
Priority intersection improvements for the intersection of
River Street and Newark Street
DRAFT
pg. 16
Complete gap in sidewalk along Newark Street
Convert the existing on-street angled parking to back-in angled
parking
Finally, the enhanced bike network map of the Hoboken Bicycle and
Pedestrian Plan illustrates planned bicycle facilities. River Street and
Newark Street along the Post Office Rehabilitation Area are
recommended for bike lanes. First Street is recommended to have a
street with shared lane markings.
This Redevelopment Plan has the ability to implement some of the
aforementioned recommendations, such as constructing the missing
sidewalk and enhancing the pedestrian and bicycle network.
2013 GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE STRATEGIC PLAN
The Green Infrastructure Strategic Plan is a Together New Jersey
Local Demonstration Project. The City of Hoboken’s waste water
treatment plant is overtaxed by storm flows, which leads to
combined sewer overflows. According to the report, this occurs, on
average, five times per month.20 The report focuses on creating a
framework for green infrastructure on a district by district basis.
The Green Infrastructure Strategic Plan divides the City into three
“zones”, Blue, Green and Gray. The Blue Zone wraps around the
western and southern edges of the City, the Green Zone is in the
center and the Gray Zone covers the downtown area and riverfront.
The Post Office Rehabilitation Area is located in the Gray Zone. The
Gray Zone cannot infiltrate stormwater efficiently due to the shallow
depth to bedrock; therefore, it is most appropriate for above-ground
best management practices, which include:
Green roofs
Stormwater tree pits, subsurface storage
Stormwater planters
Permeable pavements
Rainwater harvest and reuse
It is possible that the Post Office Rehabilitation Area can implement
some of the aforementioned above-ground best management
practices.
Figure 9: View of Post Office from the intersection of River Street and Newark
Street, looking east.
DRAFT
pg. 17
Figure 10: Excerpts from Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan – Enhanced Bike Network Map and Recommendations Map, with map legend.
Excerpt of Enhanced Bike Network Map, zoomed to site Excerpt of Recommendations Map, zoomed to site
DRAFT
pg. 18
HOBOKEN YARD REDEVELOPMENT PLAN
On December 16, 2014 the Hoboken Yard Redevelopment Plan was
adopted. The boundaries of the Hoboken Yard Redevelopment Plan
are just one block south of the Post Office Rehabilitation Area.
Numerous circulation improvements are proposed in and around the
Hoboken Yard Redevelopment Area, including along streets within
the Post Office Rehabilitation Area, to improve mobility for all modal
types - walking, bicycling, taxis, shuttles, cars, and buses.
The Hoboken Yard Redevelopment Plan provides several circulation
concepts/alternatives that are designed to improve pedestrian
circulation and safety. They include opportunities to reconfigure the
existing location of taxi cab stands, jitney bus stops, bicycle lanes,
support facilities, vehicular drop off areas, pedestrian sidewalks, and
crossings to improve pedestrian and vehicle conditions near the
Terminal. Specific to the Post Office Rehabilitation Area, the Plan
proposes:
1. The evaluation and reconfiguration of existing traffic
directions on multiple streets in the vicinity of the Plan area,
including Newark Street.
2. Some transportation functions, such as drop-off/pick-up
areas for jitneys, shuttles, or other use are to be
accommodated on Newark Street within the Post Office
Rehabilitation Area.
The final circulation plan for the Terminal area will be decided when
the City and the designated Redeveloper enter into a
Redevelopment Agreement. However, any development proposal
within the Post Office Rehabilitation Area should also include the
transportation improvements promoted in the Hoboken Yard
Redevelopment Plan.
CONCLUSION
The Hoboken Post Office Redevelopment Plan is substantially
consistent with the City of Hoboken’s 2004 Master Plan, 2010
Reexamination Report, 2010 Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan and Green
Infrastructure Strategic Plan; the Redevelopment Plan furthers a
number of objectives that the City has set for historic preservation,
redevelopment and economic development.
RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER PLANS
This section of the report discusses any significant relationship of the
Hoboken Post Office Redevelopment Plan to the master plans of
contiguous municipalities, the master plan of Hudson County and the
State Development and Redevelopment Plan. This is a requirement
of the LRHL intended to link redevelopment planning to regional
planning goals and objectives.
PLANS OF ADJACENT COMMUNITIES
The City of Jersey City borders Hoboken to the south. Between the
Post Office Rehabilitation Area and the municipal boundary is the
Hoboken Yard Redevelopment Area. The area of Jersey City that
borders the Hoboken Yard Redevelopment Area is zoned for
residential and commercial uses. As the Post Office Rehabilitation
Area is not immediately adjacent to Jersey City, the Redevelopment
Plan’s adoption will not impact Jersey City’s Master Plan.
DRAFT
pg. 19
HUDSON COUNTY MASTER PLAN
Hudson County adopted a Master Plan Reexamination in August
2008, which updated, amended and supplemented the 2002 Hudson
County Master Plan to address issues such as climate change,
flooding, sustainability, etc. that had arisen since 2002. The County
adopted the 2016 Master Plan Reexamination Report in February
2017.
The Hoboken Post Office Redevelopment Plan promotes the
following goals of the Hudson County Master Plan:
Land Use Goals
LU-7 Promote a street-level small businesses Vibrancy Program to
activate sidewalks, attract prospect businesses, and catalyze public
spaces.
LU-8 Encourage municipalities to incentivize green stormwater
solutions through strategies such as performance zoning that would
allow greater densities in exchange for implementing BMPs on-site.
LU-10 Encourage zoning and land uses that are compatible with flood
zone designations and regulations.
LU-14 Promote increased density and transit-oriented development
around key transportation hubs such as Secaucus Junction, Journal
Square, and stations along the HBLRT.
Circulation
C-9 Provide technical guidance and financial resources through
grants to Hudson County municipalities to encourage the integration
of green stormwater infrastructure into streetscape design.
C-10 Encourage flexibility in roadway design from NJDOT standards
and incorporate National Association City Transportation Official
(NACTO) design guidelines where possible. Use the Urban Street
Design Guide, Urban Bikeway Design Guide, and Transit Share Design
Guide as resources.
C-19 Ensure county roads are well maintained, including stormwater
drains, to mitigate the impacts of flooding and can be utilized for
emergency access and evacuation.
C-44 Ensure that roadway improvements include at least the
minimum provisions for bicyclists, such as “sharrows” or signage like
“Share the Road” or “Bikes may use full lane”.
C-45 Continue to advance projects that address missing links for key
greenways throughout Hudson County. These greenways include the
Hudson River Waterfront Walkway, Hackensack River Waterfront
Greenway, Passaic River Waterfront Walkway, East Coast Greenway,
and the Liberty-Watergap Trail.
C-48 Encourage the inclusion of secure bicycle racks/lockers/depots
at major employment centers and development nodes.
Consideration should also be given to provide secure and/or indoor
storage as well and shower and changing facilities for commercial
and institutional uses.
Infrastructure Recommendations
I-2 Identify areas where current utility infrastructure is not sufficient
for future development.
I-3 Encourage the use of new technologies and GSI techniques to
improve infiltration of ground water.
Conservation Checklist
DRAFT
pg. 20
CO-21 Encourage the development and certification of LEED certified
buildings to help reduce consumption and energy usage.
CO-22 Discourage development or disturbance in floodplains and
flood hazard areas.
CO-27 Increase the number of trees planted throughout Hudson
County.
Historic Preservation Goals
HP-4 Maximize access to cultural and historic facilities and districts
through public transportation and pedestrian walkway
improvements through the implementation of Street Typologies in
Historic Districts and at historic sites.
HP-10 Encourage the adaptive reuse of historically significant
structures, districts and sites.
HP-11 Encourage the use of façade easements to preserve the
appearance of historic buildings.
Economic Goals
E-10 Encourage the construction of additional cultural and
recreational amenities such as hotels, convention centers and
waterfront walkways to build on the region’s tourist industry.
E-40 Promote the use of flood-resistant material and construction
above ABFE by new businesses locating within a flood hazard area.
NEW JERSEY STATE PLAN
The State Strategic Plan is the revision to the 2001 State
Development and Redevelopment Plan. The document sets forth a
vision for the future of New Jersey along with strategies to achieve
that vision. The State Strategic Plan was intended to be adopted by
the State Planning Commission in November 2012, but was
postponed due to Super Storm Sandy. The Commission is revising
the document to incorporate disaster planning goals in light of Super
Storm Sandy.
The draft final State Strategic Plan has four overarching goals along
with ten “Garden State Values”. This Redevelopment Plan has the
ability to advance five of the ten values:
Concentrate development – promote development that is
compact, build densities that support walking and public
transportation.
Prioritize redevelopment, infill and existing infrastructure –
prioritize redevelopment and the reuse of existing sites and
structures.
Increase job and business opportunities - provide
opportunities for investments near infrastructure and
transportation, support economic growth.
Create high-quality, livable places – enhance community
character and design, especially in historic area, by reusing
significant buildings.
Provide transportation choice – provide transportation
options that improve access and affordability for all users.21
It should be noted that the Hoboken Post Office Redevelopment
Plan as written is in compliance with the 2001 State Plan.
DRAFT
pg. 21
VI. REDEVELOPMENT PLAN
This chapter of the Hoboken Post Office Redevelopment Plan
(“Redevelopment Plan”) provides the land use and design
requirements for the redevelopment of the Post Office
Rehabilitation Area. The City engaged the services of the Hospitality
Real Estate Counselors (HREC), Brooklyn, New York, to advise it
regarding: (i) the type of hotel suitable for the Post Office Site; (ii)
spatial programming considerations; (iii) room rates to be achieved
for financial success; (iv) viability of a luxury hotel at the site; (v)
ground floor utilization; and (vi) building size considerations.
The Redevelopment Plan regulations set forth herein are intended to
result in the development of a new hotel that will enhance the
downtown waterfront experience with a design described as
follows:
The main hotel entrance for pedestrians and vehicles will be
from Newark Street. Pedestrians will access the site safely from
all points, on new sidewalks to be constructed along First
Street, Sinatra Drive and Newark Street. Guests that arrive by
car will access a porte cochere, via a driveway from Newark
Street. This area will be located fully on-site and will serve as
covered, temporary parking for guest arrival/departure and for
the required hotel valet service. The hotel circulation shall be
designed to minimize conflict between hotel traffic,
pedestrians, bicyclists, and vehicle traffic from Newark Street
businesses and uses (including the Post Office), and any bus or
jitney staging areas to be located on Newark Street. Aside
from these short-term parking spaces, all of the required
parking for the hotel may be satisfied through the
implementation of long-term, off-site parking agreements
established with nearby parking facilities.
Building architecture at the street level should be designed
to enhance the pedestrian experience, with fenestration
(the arrangement of windows and doors), signage, lighting,
and architectural features built to a pedestrian scale. With
the building set back from Newark Street, as required, the
street will better open up and create an enhanced visual
gateway to the waterfront.
As it rises above the base, the architecture of the building
shall be designed with a series of stepbacks to create an
interesting skyline profile and multiple open-air outdoor
spaces, reducing the bulk of the building, most critically
along the waterfront frontage. The stepback requirements
are designed to narrow the building and maximize light, air
and open space along the City’s easterly skyline and
minimize the building’s shadow impact on the City landscape
and Pier A Park.
Newark Street shall be redesigned to improve the
experience of visitors making their way to and from the
waterfront and Hoboken Terminal. There will be wide
sidewalks on both sides of the street, some parallel parking,
new street trees and beautiful streetscape features that add
greenery to the area. The new street design may require a
one-way configuration to be able to accommodate these
improvements and the staging area for shuttle buses
relocated here from Hudson Place as part of the Hoboken
Yard Redevelopment Plan.
Pedestrian amenities at the base of the building on the
Newark Street and Sinatra Drive frontages shall create a
plaza feel and a natural extension of the waterfront
walkway. Pedestrian amenities can include landscaping,
DRAFT
pg. 22
planters, seating, art, or other items of visual interest and
pedestrian utility. If possible, retail space that is designed in
accordance with the City’s Flood Hazard Protection
Ordinance (Chapter 104 of the Hoboken City Code) will
create a bustle of activity along the Sinatra Drive frontage.
Outdoor seating that provides views to the waterfront
would also be appropriate for this area.
More than a source of lodging for the City, the hotel will
include numerous amenities that will benefit the Hoboken
public. The new banquet space incorporated into the hotel
will fill a need for additional event space in Hoboken, which
will benefit local businesses, residents, and groups looking
for more event space options. The hotel will also have one
or more restaurants and one or more rooftop bars that will
be open to the public. The outdoor, open-air space facing
the waterfront is a highly desirable resource in Hoboken, and
will now be available to the public to enjoy. It is also
recommended, although not required, that the hotel make
its other amenities, such as meeting rooms, gym, spa, etc.
available to the public on a fee-for-use basis.
The interior design of a hotel is typically based on the
requirements of a hotel operator. The hotel proposed for
the Post Office site should have a design theme that
embraces the City of Hoboken and its unique culture. An
example of this is the Starbucks on Washington Street
(Figure 11), where the wall art tastefully depicts areas of
Hoboken, creating a local feel, despite being a multi-national
company. A hotel that stands at the entrance to the
Terminal and the Waterfront should create an ambiance that
is unique and iconic to Hoboken.
Figure 11(a) and (b): The interior design of the Starbucks on Washington Street
embraces its Hoboken presence with artwork depicting Hoboken sites
DRAFT
pg. 23
LAND USE & DEVELOPMENT REQUIREMENTS
This Redevelopment Plan has been designed to create an overlay
zoning district for the Post Office Rehabilitation Area. The specific
land use and development requirements that are applicable to the
entire Post Office Rehabilitation Area are outlined in the following
sections.
A. Principal permitted uses
Hotels (1)
Retail as a mixed-use component of a hotel (2)
Public buildings and uses, including governmental (3)
buildings, administrative offices, parks and plazas
B. Permitted accessory uses
Signs (1)
Other customary accessory uses which are clearly (2)
incidental to the principal use, including, but not limited to,
fitness centers, spas, pools, restaurants, lounges, bars,
meeting/conference rooms and banquet rooms
C. Hotel Use Requirements
Restaurants, cafes, and bars in the hotel must be open to (1)
the public.
Rooftop space must be open to the public, including any (2)
outdoor restaurant, bar, or other use on the rooftop.
Any hotel at this location should consider making meeting (3)
rooms, boardrooms, a fitness center, pool, spa or other
hotel amenity available to the public on a fee for service-
basis.
D. Area and bulk regulations
Minimum lot area – 5,000 square feet (1)
Minimum lot width – 50 feet (2)
Minimum lot depth – 100 feet (3)
Min/Max Building Setbacks (in feet): (4)
Newark Street property line: a.
At grade: An adequate distance, as agreed to by
the City in a Redevelopment Agreement, to safely
accommodate a porte cochere for vehicle
circulation, which shall be located entirely on site.
Upper: 10 feet min., plus the required stepbacks as
provided for in Section D (8) “Building height
stepbacks and cantilevers” below.
Sinatra Drive property line: 0 feet min. to 10 feet max. b.
and approximately aligned with the existing buildings
to the north.
First Street property line: Approximately aligned with c.
the existing (bank) building on Lot 2 to the west
(within +/- 5 feet).
River Street property line: 0 feet min. to 10 feet max. d.
Other buildings (non-Post Office): 12 feet min. e.
Building coverage – 80% (5)
The base coverage for the CBD District for commercial
development is 80% and for the CBD(H) District is 60%.
Given this context, the overlay for a hotel in this Plan will
permit building coverage equal to 80% of the hotel site
area. For the purposes of calculating building coverage,
DRAFT
pg. 24
areas of the hotel lot that extend into adjacent street
right-of-ways, or where there may be existing easement
agreements (i.e., for sidewalks, street access or parking),
shall not be counted as part of the “building coverage lot
size,” when used as the denominator in the building
coverage calculation.
Open space / Pervious coverage – 10% (6)
An area equal to 10% of the hotel lot must be provided as
pervious coverage either on site (e.g., within a vegetated
green roof or planting area) or off-site (e.g., as green
infrastructure within the streetscape) or as some
combination of on- and off-site techniques so long as the
impervious mitigation requirement is specifically designed
to treat and attenuate storm water runoff and is approved
by the City through the preparation of a redevelopment
agreement. The City may also consider a contribution by
the developer to the City, in an amount not less than the
cost to design and install a City Stormwater Management
Best Practice (“BMP”) for an equally sized area as
recommended in the Hoboken Green Infrastructure
Strategic Plan, to meet this requirement.
Maximum building height and Gross Floor Area (GFA) (7)
The City took a careful approach to determining hotel
height and size requirements at this site; any building
constructed at this site will become part of the City’s iconic
waterfront skyline for decades to come. As such, the City
considered a number of factors, including: the size and
shape constraints of the site; the spatial programming
requirements needed for a successful hotel (i.e., number
of rooms, sufficient meeting space, restaurants, and other
amenities); the prevailing size of nearby waterfront
buildings; development allowances for the adjacent
Hoboken Terminal Redevelopment Area; the impact a
waterfront building will have on air, light and open space;
and the shadow impacts on nearby public park and open
space. The building height requirements are described in
the following paragraphs; however, through the
preparation of a Redevelopment Agreement, the City may
evaluate design proposals that necessitate deviating from
these requirements in order to achieve a design that
creates the least possible shadow impact on Pier A Park,
and/or provides other substantial benefit to the City to
further the Plan’s goals and objectives. However, in no
case shall the building exceed the maximum habitable or
architectural height limitations.
Design Flood Elevation (DFE):
Building height is measured from Design Flood Elevation
(DFE) as established in the City’s Flood Damage Prevention
Ordinance and the City’s adopted Flood Map. Per the
Ordinance and Map, a portion of the site is in the “V Zone”
(where DFE is at 15’ plus 2’of required freeboard), and part
of the site is in the “Coastal A Zone” (where DFE is at 13’
plus 2’ of required freeboard.) This Plan assumes that the
average grade elevation is approximately 7 feet. As such,
to estimate the building height “from grade,” we need to
add an additional 10 feet to the DFE (i.e., 17 feet DFE for V
Zone minus 7 feet elevation at grade.)
Habitable Height:
The maximum height to the roof of the tallest occupied
floor of the hotel shall be 260 feet from DFE, subject to the
“step-back” requirements in Section D(8) below. From
DRAFT
pg. 25
grade, the habitable height is approximately 270 feet.
This equates to a hotel building of approximately 24 usable
stories, as all usable floors must be above DFE and it is
expected that at least two floors above DFE will have
double-height ceilings or mezzanine levels (e.g., lobby
floor, banquet hall). (For reference, the habitable height
of the nearby W Hotel is 265 feet, with 27 stories above
ground.)
Architectural height:
The maximum height to the absolute highest point of the
building, including the enclosed rooftop mechanical
equipment and architectural features, shall be 280 from
DFE, subject to the “step-back” requirements in Section
D(8) below. From grade, the architectural height is
approximately 290 feet. (For reference, the architectural
height of the W Hotel is 313 feet; the height to the tip of
the “W” sign on that hotel is 333 feet.)
Rooftop equipment:
Any rooftop equipment shall be enclosed and screened
from view. Rooftop equipment shall occupy no more than
25% of the tallest portion of the roof and, if possible, shall
be located in the northwest portion of the roof closest to
First Street. Rooftop enclosures shall be creatively
designed to minimize visual impact.
Gross floor area (GFA) above DFE:
The hotel shall contain a maximum of 170,000 square feet
of GFA, where GFA shall be calculated as the gross
horizontal area of all floors of the hotel measured from the
interior perimeter walls, but not including cellar space,
floor space in open balconies, elevator or stair bulkheads
and mechanical spaces. However, the GFA calculation
shall include all hotel corridors and circulation, mezzanine
space, back of the house space, and front of the house
space, for example.
Shadow Study:
As part of any development proposal for this site, the
redeveloper shall submit a Shadow Study that
demonstrates how the building will create shadows as the
sun sets in the afternoon on the City and Pier A Park. The
Study shall consider shadow impacts for at least 3 days at
the height of the spring, summer and fall seasons, and
shall take into consideration the Palisade Cliffs to the west.
The building should be designed to minimize shadow
impact on Pier A park.
Building height stepbacks and cantilevers (8)
The maximum height and square footage provisions, as
per the previous section, are permissible only where a
building is constructed with these “stepback”
requirements. The height allowance is based on a building
“stepping back” from Newark Street in order to create a
narrow structure along the easterly, waterfront frontage.
Recognizing the square footage demands of certain spatial
programming requirements for a successful hotel (e.g.,
appropriate room counts, meeting space, restaurant
space, event space, etc.), the City allows the building to
reach the heights outlined in the previous section, so long
as the following stepbacks are provided.
DRAFT
pg. 26
The hotel shall incorporate multiple building height
stepbacks to create usable outdoor space (e.g., roof
balconies or decks); to achieve a visually interesting
structure against the City’s waterfront skyline; to create
more light, air and open space along the skyline; to open
up the view corridor from Newark Street; and to minimize
the impact of building shadows on the Cityscape below
and Pier A Park.
Stepback from Newark Street:
By a height no greater than 85 feet above DFE, the
building shall step back a minimum of 20 feet from Newark
Street, or 10 feet back from the floor immediately below,
whichever is greater.
By a height no greater than 160 feet above DFE, the
building shall step back a minimum of 80 feet from
Newark Street, so as to create a single, narrow structure
closest to the First Street side of the site.
Between the required stepbacks at 85’ DFE and 160’ DFE,
the building shall step back a minimum of 10 feet at least
one additional instance, unless the City determines
through the preparation of a Redevelopment Agreement
that a design without this additional stepback presents a
better design outcome.
Stepback from Newark Street or Sinatra Drive:
At least one building stepback shall create a large, open-air
roof deck for public use that contains usable roof space
that is at least 20 feet wide.
Figure 12 and Figure 13 illustrate how these stepback
requirements can achieve a more narrow structure to
meet the City’s objectives.
Cantilever / Overbuild:
A hotel is permitted to be constructed over a portion of
the existing Post Office building (e.g., cantilever or built on
support structures). The additional floor area gained from
a cantilever would allow for design efficiencies and a
preferable configuration for hotel operators (e.g., double-
loaded corridors verses single-loaded corridors; larger
rooms/facilities; more rooftop square footage for event
space, green roofs, rooftop pool or other open-air
amenity; etc.) which create cost savings for building
operations and maintenance. The hotel developer would
need to pursue acquisition of Air Rights from the Post
Office for this purpose. Future development over any
portion of the Post Office building will not be permitted
for any non-post office operation, except for a
cantilevered hotel as originally constructed.
Figure 14 and Figure 15 show examples of buildings
constructed with a cantilever; Figure 14 shows a building
cantilevering over a United States Post Office building.
DRAFT
pg. 27
Figure 14: Example of a new building being constructed which
cantilevers over an existing Post Office building in New York City.
Figure 15: Isis Condominium at 303 East 77th St, NYC cantilevers 8 feet over
the roofs of two buildings, from which it needed to acquire air rights. “While
more expensive to develop, the benefits include 360-degree views, more
spacious units, abundant light and higher resale value.”1
Figure 13: Example of a hotel massing that cantilevers over the rear
portion of the existing Post Office building. Figure 12: Example of a hotel massing in order to meet the required step-
backs and create a more narrow structure along the east-west frontage.
DRAFT
pg. 28
Figure 16: Aerial of Hoboken CBD with waterfront building heights.
Figure 17: Street
view of the W
Hoboken Hotel, the
only other
significant full
service hotel in
Hoboken. The “W”
is 27 stories and has
a habitable height
of 265 feet.1
DRAFT
pg. 29
TRAFFIC CONTROL, PARKING & LOADING
A Traffic and Parking Study to analyze hotel redevelopment at the
Post Office site was prepared for the City of Hoboken by Maser
Consulting (“Maser Traffic and Parking Study”), as part of this
redevelopment planning effort. 22 Many of the parking and
circulation requirements in this section are based on the
recommendations from that Study.
A. Traffic Control
Because this Redevelopment Plan is an overlay for a
specialized development that only applies to a full-service
hotel, the traffic and parking impacts on the street network
will be spread out over the course of a longer period than
other permitted uses, such as office or restaurant, and more
comparable to an evening-weekend use such as residential.
More importantly, the Hoboken Terminal is located
approximately one block south of the Hoboken Post Office
site. Due to this proximity it would be expected that a
significant portion of patrons to the site would utilize public
transportation, thereby reducing automobile trips. However,
actual reduction in trip generation from the development of a
hotel must be supported by factual evidence in a traffic study.
It is also relevant that traffic signal control was recently
installed at the intersection of Newark Street and River Street
(southwest corner of the subject area) to address previously
identified substandard traffic conditions. Future traffic
improvements in the area may be required and a contribution
may be negotiated as part of a Redevelopment Agreement
under this Redevelopment Plan.
B. Parking
Existing Parking Supply (1)
In the vicinity of the Post Office Rehabilitation Area the
existing parking supply includes on-street parking, private
parking garages and City garages. Metered and permit on-
street parking exist along River Street, Hudson Street,
Newark Street and 1st and 2nd Streets. There are also
several private parking facilities nearby, including the SJP
Garage at 111 River Street, across from the site. As
provided for below, off-site parking agreements to meet a
portion of the parking needs of the Rehabilitation Area
uses, including the Post Office and future hotel, must be
with private parking facilities.
While not to be used to meet required parking, it should
also be noted that there are three primary public parking
garages in the vicinity of the Post Office Rehabilitation
Area which include:
City Garage B - located on the south side of 2nd Street
between Hudson Street and River Street. This garage
contains a total of 829 parking spaces for monthly and
hourly parking.
City Garage D – located on the south side of 3rd Street
between Hudson Street and River Street. This garage
contains a total of 488 parking spaces for monthly and
hourly parking.
City Garage G – located on the south side of 4th Street
between Hudson Street and River Street. This garage
contains a total of 486 parking spaces used for
monthly parking only.
DRAFT
pg. 30
City Garages B and D serve a critical public safety purpose
for the City whenever on-street parking is constricted, or
anticipated to be affected, by flooding or snow. Monthly
users and hourly users inundate the garages during these
events, and the City considers the availability of parking
for its residence a top safety priority. Again, City’s garages
may not be used to meet required parking for any uses in
the Post Office Rehabilitation Area.
In addition, the City of Hoboken had, in the past, provided
for easements within Newark Street and Sinatra Drive to
accommodate the operation of the Post Office, including
parking. With the anticipation of the redevelopment of a
portion of the current Post Office site for hotel use, the
easement along Newark Street shall be terminated as part
of the redevelopment agreement and the parking and
loading spaces within the existing parking lot and
easements shall be accommodated on site or through off-
site parking agreements with private parking facilities. The
new design shall restore a pedestrian connection between
River Street and the waterfront promenade at Pier A Park
along Newark Street. The loading areas for the Post Office
and hotel, as well as the hotel entrance and temporary
parking required in Table 1 shall be designed so as to
accommodate pedestrian movement between River Street
and the waterfront promenade.
Parking Standards (2)
The parking requirements for redevelopment at this site
must consider all site uses:
Post Office: existing and future employees, visitors,
delivery vehicles, loading, truck storage;
Hotel: employees, hotel guests, event space (banquet
hall) users, visitors to restaurants, bars, spas, etc.
deliveries;
Retail: employees and shoppers.
Off-street parking standards for different types of land
uses are provided by standard publications, such as the
Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Parking
Generation handbook. Parking standards are also adopted
by the City of Hoboken in its zoning code. However, to
Figure 18: Google Earth image of Newark Street, showing use of the public right-of-way for
Postal Service parking granted through an easement by the City. This Plan requires removal
or reconfiguration of this parking to create wider sidewalks and restore a pedestrian
connection between River Street and the waterfront.
DRAFT
pg. 31
understand the anticipated parking demands generated by
all uses at this site, and to develop parking requirements
based on local conditions (urban context, availability of
mass transit, etc.), the City contracted with Maser
Consulting to prepare a Traffic and Parking Study.
Hotel Parking. a.
The ITE Manual indicates hotel facilities can expect
approximately 0.61 to 1.94 vehicles per available room,
although these ratios are based on nationwide
averages, and do not distinguish between hotel type
or setting (urban, suburban, rural).
The Maser Study assessed the actual parking
utilization at the W Hotel, just three blocks away at 225
River Street, as a way to predict potential parking
demand for a hotel at the subject site. The Maser
Study found that the hotel was parked at a rate of 0.24
vehicles per available room when all rooms were
occupied. The Study recommends a parking supply for
a hotel at the subject site that accommodates
approximately 15% to 25% of maximum occupancy. The
Study also recommends temporary parking spaces be
provided to accommodate guest check-in, check-out,
valet, shuttle and/or taxi service.
Hotel uses can also contain complimentary uses within
the hotel facility such as restaurants, spas, banquet
rooms and/or meeting facilities. These uses can
generate additional parking demand for the overall
hotel facility, but as complimentary use it would be
expected that many of the people visiting these uses
would also be staying at the hotel and therefore
would already be counted in the parking generation
for the hotel.
Hotel parking requirements are as follows:
i. Off-street parking for hotel uses shall be provided
in accordance with the table below.
ii. Valet service shall be provided for hotel guests and
visitors entering and leaving the hotel; The Hotel
will be required to utilize valet service to bring
guests to and from parking garages.
iii. Parking shall be secured in a private parking
garage within a walking distance of 1,000 feet
from the main building entrance. Spaces must be
secured for the exclusive use of the hotel, as
described in paragraph (iv) below.
iv. A long term instrument, such as a deed, easement
or lease agreement that secures the required
parking in accordance with item (iii) above, shall
be a requirement of the Redevelopment
Agreement and will be subject to the approval of
the Mayor and Council, acting as the
Redevelopment Entity prior to execution of the
Redevelopment Agreement and submission of an
application for Site Plan Approval to the Hoboken
Planning Board.
Post Office Parking. b.
The Maser Traffic and Parking Study also evaluated
parking needs for the Post Office facility. The Post
Office requires parking to accommodate its
DRAFT
pg. 32
approximately 100 employees operating over three
shifts; at least 20 delivery trucks (including tractor
trailers); and Post Office customers. Post Office
parking requirements are as follows:
i. Off-street parking for Post Office uses shall be
provided in accordance with Table 1.
ii. Required parking for the Post Office uses may be
satisfied on-site, if the design meets the approval
of the City, or secured in a private, off-site parking
garage in accordance with the provisions of
B(1)a.i.1.a.iii and B(1)a.i.1.a.iv above.
iii. Post Office vehicles shall not park on the street.
Retail Parking. c.
i. Retail space that is less than 5,000 square feet does
not require additional parking to be provided.
ii. Where retail exceeds 5,000 square feet, parking
shall be provided as required by the City at the time
of negotiation of a redevelopment agreement.
On-street Parking. d.
Any on-street parking must be parallel parking (not
angled parking), so as to allow adequate space in the
right-of-way to accommodate new pedestrian and
bicycle infrastructure.
Required Parking Study & TDM Plan. e.
i. The redeveloper will be required to submit a
parking study to determine exact off-street
parking needs for all uses on the site. This parking
study should identify any potential parking ratio
reductions through employment of a
Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Plan.
ii. The Post Office Rehabilitation Area is just one
block north of the Hoboken Terminal.
Redevelopment of the area will benefit from
maximizing the use of transit and minimizing the
use of the automobile. Therefore, in addition to
careful planning for parking and loading needs,
this Redevelopment Plan requires the
development and submission of a Transportation
Demand Management Plan prior to approval of a
Redevelopment Agreement. The TDM Plan shall
demonstrate how the site will support the use of
public transportation and provide car sharing
opportunities (e.g., zip car, bike share, etc.) for
their patrons to reduce vehicle trips and parking
generation of the development. The specifics of
the TDM Plan, including allowances for reduction
in parking ratios, will be addressed in the
Redevelopment Agreement.
DRAFT
pg. 33
Table 1 Parking Requirements
Use / Type Parking Space Requirement
Location
Post Office
Employees 2.0 per employee per maximum shift; Min. 45
On or Off-Site*
Mail delivery trucks Min. 20 spaces On or Off-Site*
Loading Min. 8 bays On-site*
Hotel
Guest Rooms 1 per 4 guest rooms On or Off-Site*
Temporary/valet Min. 5 spaces On-site
Restaurant, Bar, Banquet Hall
None Required --
Loading Min. 1 bay On-site*
Retail
Less than 5,000 SF None Required --
5,000 SF or more TBD per Agreement On or Off-Site
*Required parking may not be satisfied on-street.
C. Loading
Off-street loading shall be provided for both the hotel and (1)
Post Office uses, with a minimum of eight (8) loading bays
to be provided for the post office and at least one (1)
loading bay to be provided for the hotel, subject to final
review and approval by the City’s traffic consultant.
The off-street loading area shall be of sufficient size and (2)
design to accommodate the deliveries of the Post Office
and hotel facilities on the site without the use of Newark
Street except for access.
All loading activities shall take place within the interior of (3)
the building and shall be screened from view.
D. Circulation Plan
The existing traffic pattern allows for bi-directional travel
along River Street and Newark Street, one-way northbound
travel along Sinatra Drive, and one-way east-bound travel
along First Street.
A Circulation Plan for the entire Post Office Rehabilitation Area
must be submitted to the City prior to approval of a
Redevelopment Agreement. The Plan should improve the
circulation for all users, including motorists, truck traffic and
loading, bicyclists, pedestrians and pick-up/drop-off vehicles
(e.g., taxis, shuttles, etc.) The developer may consider
configuring Newark Street to one-way travel, reconfiguring on-
street parking layouts, and other strategies to create space for
a bicycle promenade to the waterfront, wider sidewalks and
streetscape improvements, and staging areas for loading
vehicles and pick-up/drop-off traffic. The Circulation Plan shall
also consider that, as part of Hoboken Terminal area
improvements associated with the Hoboken Yard
Redevelopment, Newark Street in this location may need to
accommodate some transportation functions that are
currently being accommodated on Hudson Place, such as
providing a staging location for shuttle vans or other needed
function. The Circulation Plan shall encompass all of these
needs for the entire block length of Newark Street; particular
attention shall also be paid to improvements within the rights-
DRAFT
pg. 34
of-way along Sinatra Drive and First Street to accommodate
these objectives.
E. Driveway Design
The design shall incorporate an area for passenger (1)
unloading, drop-off and pick-up. An area for the stacking
of at least five (5) vehicles for short-term/valet/temporary
parking must be provided.
All short-term parking spaces must be provided on-site and (2)
not within the City’s right-of-way.
F. Streetscape & Pedestrian Accessibility
Sidewalks shall be provided along all street frontages. (1)
All sidewalks shall be a minimum of five feet wide, with (2)
final determination made within the Redevelopment
Agreement. At a minimum, a new sidewalk will need to
be installed along both sides of Newark Street and the
westerly side of Sinatra Drive; and the existing sidewalk
along First Street adjacent to the Post Office will need to
be widened.
All sidewalks shall be designed to provide access for the (3)
physically disabled.
Access ramps shall be conveniently placed and sloped to (4)
provide easy connection to streets and sidewalks, in
conformance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The design of the sidewalk and streetscape shall be (5)
determined as part of a Redevelopment Agreement, but
shall be required to incorporate attractive paving
materials, street trees and planters, green infrastructure,
and lighting.
Figure 19: View of the river, Post Office parking lot shown to the left.23
Figure 20: View east from the northeast corner of the Post Office Rehabilitation
Area where sidewalk is very narrow.24
DRAFT
pg. 35
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN STANDARDS
This Plan allows for a Post Office Redevelopment Overlay Zone to be
created over the existing underlying zoning: the Central Business
District – Historic Subdistrict (CBD(H)); as such, any site plan
submitted to the Planning Board will also require review by the City’s
Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) at that time.
In addition, since the property is listed as an eligible resource in the
“South Hoboken Historic District,” the New Jersey Historic
Preservation Office (NJHPO) must conduct a “Section 106” review of
any proposed development.
New construction at the site should therefore strive to complement
the historic nature of the site and surrounding buildings. At the
same time, the site is located along Hoboken’s urban waterfront,
where architecture has an opportunity to be dramatic, iconic, and
innovative. The design of a hotel at this site should balance these
objectives.
Architectural design standards for the Post Office Rehabilitation
Area are as follows:
A. Orientation
The building shall be oriented toward the street so as to
contribute to the overall liveliness of the pedestrian
environment, especially along Newark Street and facing the
waterfront.
B. Design and Materials
A creative approach to hotel development at this site is
essential.
The applicant must ensure any design approach is compatible
with the historic Post Office building and surrounding buildings
(i.e., the Hoboken Land & Improvement Company Building and
the Wells Fargo building). This means the design process for
the new structure should analyze how the existing design
principles for the neighborhood are used, and how these
existing buildings can be enhanced through the new structure
in a modern approach using today's materials and construction
techniques.
For example, a design approach may consider a different
architectural treatment on the first through third floor building
facade (e.g., durable, long-lasting materials that are visually
compatible in texture and hue with the predominate materials
used in adjacent historic buildings) with the building exterior
from the fourth floor to the top of the building consisting of
modern materials.
As another example, the building exterior may reflect an
entirely contemporary design that thoughtfully considers the
surrounding historic architecture.
Examples of these two architectural approaches are shown in
Figure 21 and Figure 22 below.
DRAFT
pg. 36
Figure 21: Chicago Skyline along Michigan Avenue in front of Millennium Park
Figure 22: modern design inspired by historic architecture in DUMBO, New
York City (10 Jay Street)
C. Articulation
All street-facing building walls shall have a clearly defined (1)
base, body and cap. The base of the building should be
designed to be inviting, and oriented to pedestrians.
Details and materials shall be varied horizontally to provide
scale and three dimensional qualities to the building.
The architectural treatment of a façade shall be (2)
completely continued around all street-facing facades of a
building. All sides of a building shall be architecturally
designed so as to be consistent with regard to style,
materials, colors and details.
Building exteriors shall have vertical and/or horizontal (3)
offsets to create visual breaks on the exterior. These
offsets may consistent of pilasters, changes in façade
materials, balconies, etc.
Long, blank, windowless, monotonous or uninterrupted (4)
walls are not permitted on the front or side of a building.
The side of the building to be used for loading purposes (5)
shall be screened by a vegetative wall or other screening
device approved by the City.
D. Entrances
Well-marked entrances shall cue access and use. Main (1)
building entrances should read differently from retail
storefronts, restaurants, and commercial entrances.
All entrances to a building shall be defined and articulated (2)
by architectural elements such as lintels, pediments,
pilasters, columns, overhangs, porticos or awnings. These
elements shall be compatible with the style and materials
of the building.
DRAFT
pg. 37
Entrances may also be defined by planters or other (3)
landscape features.
E. Street Level Design
Building facades and treatments should create visual (1)
interest along the street wall with large windows visible
from the sidewalk that expose activity within the building
to the passerby.
The street level design should incorporate high quality (2)
materials that add scale, texture and variety at the
pedestrian level.
Space should be provided for outdoor seating, possibly a (3)
sidewalk café, to bring activity and energy to the building.
F. Transparency
Ground floor uses in the Post Office Rehabilitation Area (1)
shall have large pane display windows on the front and
side building facades. Such windows shall be framed by
the surrounding wall and shall be a minimum of 70% of the
total ground level façade area. A building’s “ground level
façade area” is the area bounded by the side edges of the
building and the plane coincident with the internal floor of
the building and the internal ceiling of the building.
Windows shall be vertically proportioned (taller than (2)
wider) where possible.
G. Roofs
Roof design shall follow the standards of Sections 196-28.1 and
196-28.2 of the Hoboken Zoning Ordinance, as amended. When
a green roof is used to allow an upper roof deck of more than
30%, the 50% or more of the upper roof area to be devoted to
the green roof shall be taken from the total roof area first and
the upper roof deck or terrace and any roof structures or
appurtenances taken from the remaining roof area.
H. Signage
A comprehensive signage package must be submitted to the
City for review prior to the execution of a Redevelopment
Agreement. Proposed locations and design details shall be
provided for all proposed exterior wall signs or other signs
outside of the building, as well as directional and wayfinding
signage for hotel, Post Office and all other site uses.
Figure 23: Wells Fargo bank building at Block 231.1, Lot 2, surrounded by the
Post Office Rehabilitation Area, example of base, body and cap articulation.25
DRAFT
pg. 38
GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE DESIGN STANDARDS
As is common in many older cities, the existing sewer collection
system in Hoboken handles both stormwater and sewage in the
same pipes, and is known as a combined sewer operating (“CSO”)
system. When it rains, the volume of stormwater falling on exposed
surfaces and running into storm inlets is added to the sanitary sewer
aspects of the system and eventually fills the pipes to a greater
capacity. As a result, some of this sewage-stormwater can be
discharged directly into local waterways through an overflow
system.
One of the major goals of stormwater management is an attempt to
retain and/or infiltrate the first inch of rainfall in the immediate area.
This can be achieved by numerous methods to integrate green
streets concepts into the redesign of urban corridors and spaces and
to improve infrastructure sustainability and assist the regional utility
authority in their attempt to reduce peak stormwater flows into the
combined system. This includes using a variety of applications from
underground storage to green roof structures, to divert and reduce
the volume of stormwater flowing initially into the system.
This Redevelopment Plan anticipates that the redevelopment of a
hotel at the Post Office site with frontage on River Street, Sinatra
Drive and First Street may necessitate the reconstruction of these
streets as part of the overall design to comply with the City’s Flood
Damage Prevention Ordinance. In addition, there is a potential for a
substantial re-design of the Newark Street ROW between Hudson
Street and Sinatra Drive to accommodate the main entrance of the
proposed hotel.
As the Newark Street ROW will become available for pedestrian use,
this Redevelopment Plan requires that Green Infrastructure design
practices be employed to incorporate raingardens, bioswale tree
lawns and pervious pavements to maximize absorption of storm
water (Figure 24).
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Chapter 65A of the City of Hoboken’s code, entitled“Affordable
Housing,” applies only to residential development. Therefore,
Chapter 65A would not apply to this Redevelopment Plan. However,
non-residential construction would be subject tothe Statewide Non-
residential Development Fee Act (N.J.A.C. 40:55D-8.1, et sec.) and to
the extent required by that Act, the redeveloper shall make the
payments required thereby
Due to ongoing issues surrounding COAH’s rules, the
Redevelopment Agreement will require the designated redeveloper
Figure 24: Example of green infrastructure for storm water infiltration.
DRAFT
pg. 39
to comply with the legal requirements regarding affordable housing
in existence at the time of final site plan approval.
N.J.S.A. 40A:12A-7(a)(6) and N.J.S.A. 40A:12A-7(a)(7) require that a
redevelopment plan include (i) as of the date of the adoption of the
resolution finding the area to be in need of redevelopment, an
inventory of all affordable housing units that are to be removed as a
result of implementation of the redevelopment plan; and (ii) a plan
for the provision, through new construction or substantial
rehabilitation of one comparable, affordable replacement housing
unit for each affordable housing unit that has been occupied at any
time within the last 18 months, that is subject to affordability
controls and that is identified as to be removed as a result of the
Redevelopment Plan. The following subsections (1) and (2) satisfy
the affordable housing “inventory” and “replacement unit plan”
requirements of the law.
Inventory of Affordable Housing: (1)
As of October 15, 2014, which is the date upon which the
Mayor and Council of the City of Hoboken adopted a
resolution finding the subject properties to be in need of
rehabilitation, there were no housing units (neither market
rate nor affordable) in the Rehabilitation Area. The
properties within the Rehabilitation Area have been
limited to non-residential uses. Thus, zero (0) affordable
housing units will be removed as a result of this
Redevelopment Plan.
Plan for the Provision of Affordable Replacement Housing: (2)
As zero (0) affordable housing units will be removed as a
result of this Redevelopment Plan (see subsection (1)
above), there are no affordable housing units to be
replaced.
FLOOD HAZARD PREVENTION
Hoboken was impacted by Super Storm Sandy; areas that had never
flooded previously did flood during this storm event. Future flooding
is of concern within the Post Office Rehabilitation Area due to its
proximity to the Hudson River.
Where applicable, all new construction and substantial rehabilitation
shall comply with the Hoboken Flood Hazard Prevention Ordinance,
Chapter 104 of the Hoboken Municipal Code. The City has adopted
maps that depict areas of special flood hazard and those maps
illustrate the southeast corner of the Post Office Rehabilitation Area
in the V-Zone. The remainder of the site is in the A Zone with added
risk of moderate wave action. Areas of special flood hazard are
required to have the lowest floor elevated to the base flood
elevation or advisory base flood elevation (“ABFE”), whichever is
applicable, plus freeboard as specified in Chapter 104.
A review by the City of Hoboken Certified Flood Plain Manager shall
be required prior to submission to the Hoboken Planning Board of an
application for development.
POST OFFICE COMPLIANCE WITH THE CITY’S FLOOD
RULES
This Plan provides for a proposed hotel to be built on a portion of the
site of the existing United States Post Office and that the Post Office
will continue to function as such on that site. It is anticipated that
underground parking for Post Office vehicles and surface loading
docks may be constructed to service the functions of the Post Office.
The applicability of local ordinances, particularly the City of Hoboken
Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance, will differ between the Post
Office uses and those of the privately held entity that may be
DRAFT
pg. 40
selected to implement the hotel aspect of this Redevelopment Plan.
Although final determinations on the issue must await the detailed
evaluation of the actual project proposal and the nature and details
of the legal arrangement between the Postal Service and the hotel
developer, a general evaluation of the legal issues is appropriate in
connection with the adoption of this Plan.
STATUTORY PROVISIONS
The Postal Reorganization Act (PRA) of 1970 39 U.S.C. § 409(f)(1)-(5),
§ 410(c)(2) establishes the legal framework that controls the
relationship between the United States Postal Service and
municipalities in connection with the construction and operation of
postal facilities. It provides in relevant part as follows:
(f)(1) Each building constructed or altered by the Postal
Service shall be constructed or altered, to the maximum
extent feasible as determined by the Postal Service, in
compliance with 1 of the nationally recognized model
building codes and with other applicable nationally
recognized codes.
(2) Each building constructed or altered by the Postal Service
shall be constructed or altered only after consideration of all
requirements (other than procedural requirements) of
zoning laws, land use laws, and applicable environmental
laws of a State or subdivision of a State which would apply
to the building if it were not a building constructed or
altered by an establishment of the Government of the
United States.
(3) For purposes of meeting the requirements of paragraphs
(1) and (2) with respect to a building, the Postal Service shall:
(A) in preparing plans for the building, consult with
appropriate officials of the State or political
subdivision, or both, in which the building will be
located;
(B) upon request, submit such plans in a timely
manner to such officials for review by such officials
for a reasonable period of time not exceeding 30
days; and
(C) permit inspection by such officials during
construction or alteration of the building, in
accordance with the customary schedule of
inspections for construction or alteration of
buildings in the locality, if such officials provide to
the Postal Service:
(i) a copy of such schedule before
construction of the building is begun; and
(ii) reasonable notice of their intention to
conduct any inspection before conducting
such inspection.
(4) Appropriate officials of a State or a political subdivision
of a State may make recommendations to the Postal Service
concerning measures necessary to meet the requirements of
paragraphs (1) and (2). Such officials may also make
recommendations to the Postal Service concerning
measures which should be taken in the construction or
alteration of the building to take into account local
conditions. The Postal Service shall give due consideration to
any such recommendations.
DRAFT
pg. 41
(5) In addition to consulting with local and State officials
under paragraph (3), the Postal Service shall establish
procedures for soliciting, assessing, and incorporating local
community input on real property and land use decisions.
(emphasis supplied.)
In summary, the PRA provides that after “consultation” with local
officials, whose role it is to make “recommendations,” the final
decision regarding compliance with local ordinances, as they affect
the essential mission and function to process and deliver the nations
mail, rests squarely with the Postal Service.
REGULATORY PROVISION
Decision making by the Postal Service with regard to the
construction of facilities in floodplains is specifically subject to the
more detailed provisions of The Code of Federal Regulations 39
C.F.R. §776.5(a). It provides in relevant part as follows:
(a) Analysis of alternatives. If a postal facility action would
involve construction in a floodplain, alternative actions shall
be considered.
(b) Early public notice. If a facility action at the contending
site(s) could require construction in a floodplain, public
notice must be provided.
(c) Floodplain location and information.
(1) Personnel shall determine whether construction
would occur within a floodplain. The determination
shall be made by reference to appropriate
Department of Housing and Urban Development
(HUD) floodplain maps (sometimes referred to as
Floodplain Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM)), or Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) maps, or
more detailed maps if available. If such maps are not
available, floodplain location must be determined
based on the best available information.
(2) Once the preferred site has been identified,
potential floodplain impacts must be determined. As
part of this determination process, specific
floodplain information should be developed, which
is to consider:
(i) Whether the proposed action will directly
or indirectly support floodplain
development;
(ii) Flood hazard and risk to lives and
property;
(iii) Effects on natural and beneficial
floodplain values, such as water quality
maintenance, groundwater recharge, and
agriculture; and
(iv) Possible measures to minimize harm to,
or impact on, the floodplain.
(d) Reevaluation. After the above steps have been followed,
if the determination is that there appears to be no
practicable alternative to constructing in a floodplain, a
further review of alternatives must be conducted by the
facilities organization in conjunction with the operations
organization requesting the construction of the facility. The
further review of alternatives must be conducted by the
DRAFT
pg. 42
operations organization for projects within the delegated
authority of the Vice President, Area Operations.
Furthermore, the Postal Service must comply with the Final
Public Notice Requirement of 39 C.F.R. §776.5(e) if it is
determined that there no practicable alternative to
constructing in a floodplain. The Public Notice Requirement
must be publicized and contain a 30-day public commenting
period. The provision states:
(e) Final public notice. As a result of the reevaluation, if it is
determined that there is no practicable alternative to
constructing in a floodplain, public notice shall be provided
as soon as possible for the proposed action. The notice
should be publicized and should include:
(1) Identification of the project's location;
(2) Provision for a 30–day public commenting period
before irrevocable action is taken by the Postal
Service; and
(3) Name and complete address of a postal contact
person responsible for providing further information
on the decision to proceed with a facility action or
construction project in a floodplain. Upon request,
that person shall provide further information as
follows:
(i) A description of why the proposed action
must be located in a floodplain;
(ii) A listing of alternative actions considered
in making the determination; and
(iii) A statement indicating whether the
action conforms to applicable state and local
floodplain protection standards.
DISTINCTION BETWEEN POSTAL SERVICE FUNCTION AND
PRIVATE PARTY FUNCTION
In the event that the Postal Service concludes, after compliance with
all the terms of the Federal Regulations, that there is no practical
alternative to proceeding with the construction of elements of its
facilities that are required to serve its fundamental function to
process and deliver the nations mail, that conclusion will supersede
the requirements and provisions of the City of Hoboken Flood
Damage Prevention Ordinance.
However, the provisions of the Hoboken Ordinance will not be
superseded with respect to the construction of any portion of the
new structure that will serve non-Postal Service functions, i.e. the
hotel. For example, if underground parking or loading docks are
constructed for the functions of the Postal Service, use of such
facilities for any other use, including hotel use, would not be
permissible. In addition, any non-Postal structural elements and/or
space below DFE, including any commercial uses, would need to be
resistant to flotation, collapse or lateral movement due to the
effects of wind and water loading and be wet flood-proofed in
compliance with the City’s Flood Ordinance.
During the negotiation of the redevelopment agreement the details
of such distinction will be set forth, based upon the final design of
the new construction.
DRAFT
pg. 43
IMPLEMENTATION
GENERAL PROVISIONS
RELATIONSHIP TO ZONING – OVERLAY
The Hoboken Post Office Redevelopment Plan constitutes an overlay
to permit the redevelopment of the Post Office Rehabilitation Area
around the existing historic Post Office building as a full service hotel
adjacent to the Hoboken Terminal as envisioned by the 2004
Hoboken Master Plan and 2010 Master Plan Reexamination Report.
The provisions of this Redevelopment Plan shall not apply to any
other use other than for a full service hotel. The underlying CBD(H)
Zone shall continue to subsist and act as the primary zoning
designation for the Post Office Rehabilitation Area.
Because this Redevelopment Plan constitutes an overlay and does
not supersede the underlying CBD(H) Zone, the Official Zoning Map
of the City of Hoboken is not required to be amended. However, in
order to differentiate the Post Office Rehabilitation Area from the
rest of the CBD(H) district, the zoning map is hereby amended to
illustrate “the property commonly known as Block 231.01, Lot 1 on
the tax map of the City of Hoboken, that portion of the public right-
of-way of Newark Street from and including the intersection with
River Street to the end of Newark Street approximately 250 feet east
of River Street; and that portion of the public right-of-way of River
Street from and including the intersection with Newark Street to and
including the intersection with First Street” as the
“Governmental/Hotel Overlay Zone.”
TERMS AND DEFINITIONS
Any terms or definitions not addressed within this Redevelopment
Plan shall rely on the applicable terms and conditions set forth in the
Zoning Ordinance of the City of Hoboken.
REDEVELOPMENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PLAN
Repair, rehabilitation and redevelopment will take place as proposed
in this Redevelopment Plan. The designated redeveloper(s) shall
adhere to the parameters for redevelopment presented in this
Redevelopment Plan and refine the design concepts presented
therein in developing a unique and high-quality project proposal.
Once a redeveloper is selected by the City, the redeveloper will be
required to enter into a Redevelopment Agreement with the City as
set forth herein.
OTHER ACTIONS BY THE CITY IN FURTHERANCE OF THE
PLAN
Other actions may be taken by the City to further the goals of the
Plan. These actions may include, but shall not be limited to,
provisions for public infrastructure necessary to service new
development and vacation of public utility easements and other
easements and rights-of-way as may be necessary for
redevelopment. The costs for such actions shall be borne by the
designated redeveloper(s) in accordance with the provisions of a
negotiated redevelopment agreement.
DRAFT
pg. 44
ROLE OF THE CITY
The City of Hoboken acting as the Redevelopment Entity will be
solely responsible for the implementation of this Redevelopment
Plan as set forth below.
CITY DESIGNATION OF REDEVELOPER – REDEVELOPMENT
AGREEMENT
Only redevelopers designated by the City may proceed to implement
the redevelopment projects set forth in this Redevelopment Plan. In
order to assure that the vision of the this Redevelopment Plan will be
successfully implemented in an effective, comprehensive and timely
way, and in order to promptly achieve the public purpose goals of
the Plan, the City, acting as the Redevelopment Entity, will select the
redeveloper(s) in all areas governed by this Redevelopment Plan.
Only an owner or contract-purchaser (with owner’s consent) of
property situated within the Rehabilitation Area may seek
designation by the City, in accordance with this chapter, as a
redeveloper of said property. Anytime the word “developer” is
utilized in this Redevelopment Plan, the same shall mean the
redeveloper or redeveloper(s) that have been designated by the City
of Hoboken in accordance with the Redeveloper Selection Process
set forth in this Redevelopment Plan.
All designated redeveloper(s) will be required to execute a
Redevelopment Agreement satisfactory to and authorized by a
resolution of the City Council. The procedural standards described
here will guide redeveloper selection. The City, acting as the
Redevelopment Entity may, at any time, entertain unsolicited
proposal(s) from a prospective redeveloper(s) for redevelopment of
one or more redevelopment parcels. A prospective redeveloper will
be required to submit materials to the City that specify their
qualifications, financial resources, experience and design approach
to the proposed redevelopment project. The selection process will
likely include the submission of some or all of the following materials
(additional submission materials may be requested by the City as
deemed appropriate to the particular project sites.):
Conceptual plans and elevations sufficient in scope to
demonstrate that the design approach, architectural
concepts, estimated size, number and type of dwelling units,
if any, retail and or commercial uses, parking, traffic
circulation, flood mitigation, landscaping, recreation space,
construction schedule, including estimated pre-construction
time period to secure permits and approvals, and other
elements that are consistent with the objectives and
standards of this Redevelopment Plan.
Documentation evidencing the financial responsibility and
capability of the proposed redeveloper with respect to
carrying out the proposed redevelopment including but not
limited to: type of ownership entity, disclosure of ownership
interest, list of comparable projects successfully completed,
list of references with name, address and phone information,
list of any general or limited partners, financing plan, and
financial profile of the redeveloper entity and its parent, if
applicable, as well as any other information that may be
requested by the City in its discretion.
The following provisions regarding redevelopment are
included in connection with the selection of redeveloper(s)
for any property or properties included in the
Redevelopment Plan and shall apply notwithstanding the
provisions of any zoning or building ordinance or other
regulations to the contrary:
DRAFT
pg. 45
o The redeveloper, its successor or assigns shall develop
the property in accordance with the uses and building
requirements specified in the Redevelopment Plan and
shall comply with all the terms and obligations of the
Redeveloper Agreement.
o Until the required improvements are completed and a
Certificate of Completion is issued by the
Redevelopment Entity, the redeveloper covenants
provided for in N.J.S.A. 40A:12A-9 and imposed in any
redeveloper agreement, lease, deed or other instrument
shall remain in full force and effect.
o The Redevelopment Agreement(s) shall include a
provision that requires the redeveloper to provide all
inclusionary affordable housing that is generated by its
project, to the extent required by law or the Plan.
o The Redevelopment Agreement(s) shall contain
provisions to assure the timely construction of the
redevelopment project, the qualifications, financial
capability and financial guarantees of the redeveloper(s)
and any other provisions to assure the successful
completion of the project.
o The designated redeveloper(s) shall be responsible for
any installation or upgrade of infrastructure related to
their project whether on-site or off-site. Infrastructure
items include, but are not limited to parks, recreational
and open space, gas, electric, water, sanitary and storm
sewers, flood mitigation, telecommunications, streets,
curbs, sidewalks, street lighting and street trees or other
improvements.
o All infrastructure improvements shall comply with
applicable local, state and federal law and regulations.
All utilities shall be placed underground.
In addition to the provisions set forth herein, the
Redevelopment Agreement may provide that the
redeveloper(s) will agree to provide amenities, benefits, fees
and payments in addition to those authorized under the
Municipal Land Use Law.
REVIEW AND APPROVAL PROCEDURES
This Redevelopment Plan changes the process by which approvals
for the development of land are typically granted. For a typical
development application, a property owner submits plans and an
application to the Planning Board or Zoning Board of Adjustment,
and the board schedules a hearing on the application. However, in
order to comply with this Redevelopment Plan and to maximize the
effectiveness of the review process, the following procedure will be
followed:
City Review
The City acting as the Redevelopment Entity shall review all
proposed redevelopment projects within the Redevelopment Area
to ensure that such project(s) is consistent with the Redevelopment
Plan and relevant redeveloper agreement(s). Such review shall occur
prior to the submission of an application for approval of the
redevelopment project(s) to the Planning Board. As part of its
review, the City may require the redeveloper(s) to submit proposed
DRAFT
pg. 46
site plan applications to the City Administration prior to the
submission of such applications to the Planning Board. In
undertaking its review, the City shall determine whether the
proposal is consistent with this Redevelopment Plan and relevant
redeveloper agreement(s). In addition, the review may address the
site and building design elements of the project to ensure that the
project adequately addresses the goals and objectives of this Plan.
Planning Board Review Process
Thereafter, all development applications shall be submitted to the
City of Hoboken Planning Board through the established site plan
and subdivision procedures as outlined in N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 et seq.
The Planning Board shall deem any application for redevelopment
for any property subject to this Redevelopment Plan incomplete if
the applicant has not been designated by the City as a
redeveloper(s), a redevelopment agreement has not been fully
executed and the project plan has not been reviewed and approved
by the City. Additionally, the Planning Board shall deem any
application for redevelopment for any property subject to this
Redevelopment Plan incomplete if the applicant has not received
approval from the City or any subcommittee that it may designate
for such purpose, stating that the application is consistent with the
Redevelopment Plan and Redevelopment Agreement.
Variances Not to be Considered
Neither the Planning Board nor the Zoning Board of Adjustment shall
grant any deviations from the terms and requirements of this
Redevelopment Plan, including the granting of any “c” or “d”
variances. Any proposed changes to the Redevelopment Plan shall
be in the form of an amendment to the Redevelopment Plan
adopted by the City Council in accordance with the procedures set
forth in the Local Redevelopment and Housing Law, N.J.S.A.
40A:12A-1 et seq.
Easements / Rights-of-way
No building, parking, or vehicle circulation area shall be constructed
over a public easement or public right-of-way in the Rehabilitation
Area without prior written approval of the City of Hoboken.
Site Plan and Subdivision Review
Site plans must be submitted to the City for compliance with the
Redevelopment Plan and agreement prior to review and approval by
the Planning Board. Prior to commencement of construction, site
plans for the construction and/or rehabilitation of improvements
within the Rehabilitation Area, prepared in accordance with the
requirements of the Municipal Land Use Law (N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 et
seq.), shall be submitted by the applicants for review and approval
by the Hoboken Planning Board. Any subdivision of lots and parcels
of land within the Rehabilitation Area shall be in accordance with the
requirements of this Redevelopment Plan, the Redevelopment
Agreement, and the subdivision ordinance of the City of Hoboken,
except that where this Redevelopment Plan contains provisions that
differ from those in the subdivision ordinance, this Plan shall prevail.
Approvals by Other Agencies
The redeveloper shall be required to provide the City with copies of
all permit applications made to federal, state and county agencies
upon filing such applications, as will be required by the
Redeveloper’s Agreement to be executed between the redeveloper
and the City.
DRAFT
pg. 47
PROPERTIES TO BE ACQUIRED
This Redevelopment Plan intends to encourage a redeveloper to
acquire a proprietary interest in the property to be
rehabilitated/redeveloped pursuant to this Redevelopment Plan. As
this Redevelopment Plan is based upon an Area In Need of
Rehabilitation designation, Section 14 of the Local Redevelopment
and Housing Law provides that the redevelopment powers, except
for acquisition of private property through the use of eminent
domain, are available with the adoption of a Redevelopment Plan.
Therefore, no private property is identified for acquisition other than
through private sale between a willing buyer and seller.
RELOCATION PLAN
No temporary or permanent relocation of residents is contemplated,
as there are no occupied residential units currently located in the
Post Office Rehabilitation Area. The only non-residential use is the
Post Office, which will remain within the Post Office Rehabilitation
Area. Therefore, no relocation assistance is necessitated by the
Hoboken Post Office Redevelopment Plan.
TAX ABATEMENT PROGRAM
By designating the Hoboken Post Office as An Area in Need of
Rehabilitation, the City of Hoboken is given the authority to offer
five-year tax exemptions or abatements as a financial incentive to
encourage rehabilitation of the area, in accordance with N.J.S.A.
40A:21-1 et seq. The City of Hoboken adopted a Commercial and
Industrial Improvement Projects Ordinance in 1979 (ord. C-127),
which gives the City authority to enter into agreements with
redevelopers for tax abatement on commercial, industrial or
residential improvements or projects, pursuant to the provisions of
N.J.S.A. 54:4-3.95 (P.L. 1977, c. 12), providing for the exemption from
real property taxation of improvements or projects for a period of
five years. Any tax abatement(s) for the rehabilitation of the Post
Office Rehabilitation Area would need to be addressed as part of the
Redevelopment Agreement.
OTHER APPLICABLE DESIGN & PERFORMANCE
STANDARDS
Any design or performance standards not addressed within this
Redevelopment Plan shall rely on the applicable design and
performance standards set forth in the Land Development
Ordinance of the City of Hoboken.
NON-DISCRIMINATION PROVISIONS
No covenant, lease, conveyance or other instrument shall be
affected or executed by the City Council or by a developer or any of
his successors or assignees, whereby land within the Rehabilitation
Area is restricted by the City Council, or the developer, upon the
basis of race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, age, marital
status, affectional or sexual orientation, familial status, disability,
nationality, sex, gender identity or expression or source of lawful
income in the sale, lease, use, or occupancy thereof. Appropriate
covenants, running with the land forever, will prohibit such
restrictions and shall be included in the disposition instruments.
There shall be no restrictions of occupancy or use of any part of the
Rehabilitation Area on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin,
ancestry, affectional preference, marital status or gender.
DRAFT
pg. 48
ESCROWS
At a minimum, the Redevelopment Agreement shall provide that the
redeveloper shall be responsible to post sufficient escrows to cover
any and all costs of the City and the professional consultants
retained by the City to review the proposed redevelopment project
and advise the City on any and all aspects of the redevelopment
process and as otherwise set forth in the Redevelopment
Agreement.
INFRASTRUCTURE
The redeveloper, at the redeveloper’s cost and expense, shall
provide all necessary engineering studies for, and construct or install
all on- and off-site municipal infrastructure improvements and
capacity enhancements or upgrades required in connection with the
provision of traffic, water, sanitary sewer, flood mitigation measures,
and stormwater sewer service to the project, in addition to all
required tie-in or connection fees. The redeveloper may also be
responsible for providing, at the redeveloper’s cost and expense, all
sidewalks, curbs, streetscape improvements (street trees and other
landscaping), street lighting, and on and off-site traffic controls and
road improvements for the project or required as a result of the
impacts of the project. The Redevelopment Agreement between the
City and the redeveloper will contain the terms, conditions,
specifications, and a description of required performance guarantees
(such as performance bonds, parent guarantee, or other acceptable
performance security) pertaining to redeveloper’s obligation to
provide the infrastructure and improvements required for the
project.
AMENDMENTS TO THE REDEVELOPMENT PLAN
This Redevelopment plan may be amended from time to time in
accordance with the procedures of the LRHL. However, should such
an amendment change the uses or otherwise materially affect the
provisions of one or more Redevelopment Agreements, such
Redevelopment Agreements may require the consent of the
redeveloper before the amendment can be adopted, and/or the
Redevelopment Agreement may need to be amended to be
consistent with the amended Redevelopment Plan. A non-refundable
application fee shall be paid by the party requesting such
amendment, unless the request is issued from an agency of the City.
The City, at its sole discretion, may require the party requesting the
amendments to prepare a study of the impact of such amendments,
which study must be prepared by a professional planner licensed in
the State of New Jersey and other additional professionals as may be
required by the City.
PLAN DURATION - CERTIFICATES OF COMPLETION &
COMPLIANCE
Upon the inspection and verification by the Mayor and Council,
acting as the Redevelopment Entity, that the redevelopment of a
parcel subject to a redeveloper agreement has been completed, a
Certificate of Completion and Compliance will be issued to the
redeveloper and such parcel will be deemed no longer in need of
rehabilitation.
This Redevelopment Plan will remain in effect until Certificates of
Completion have been issued for the designated Area In Need of
Rehabilitation, or until the Hoboken Post Office Redevelopment Plan
DRAFT
pg. 49
is deemed no longer necessary for the public interest and repealed
by Ordinance of the Mayor and Council.
SEVERABILITY
The provisions of this Redevelopment Plan are subject to approval by
Ordinance. If a Court of competent jurisdiction finds any word,
phrase, clause, section or provision of this Redevelopment Plan to be
invalid, illegal or unconstitutional, the word, phrase, clause, section
or provision shall be deemed severable and the remainder of the
Redevelopment Plan and implementing Ordinance shall remain in full
force and effect.
R:\AllOffices\Clinton\Projects\2014\14000725G\Reports\Redevelopment
Plan\Post_Office_Redev_Plan_DRAFT_2017.03.15._KJR.docx
1 Image courtesy of: http://blog.evankalish.com/2015/12/postal-tour-hoboken-
nj.html 2 Image courtesy of: http://betterwaterfront.org/hotel-would-be-vast-
improvement-for-premiere-site-at-hoboken-waterfront/ 3 City of Hoboken Council Resolution #12-794, adopted October 17, 2012. 4 http://tax1.co.monmouth.nj.us/cgi-bin/m4.cgi?district=0905&l02=090500231__0100001_________M 5 Image courtesy of https://maps.google.com 6 Post Office Site – Area in Need of Rehabilitation; Existing Water and Combined Sanitary/Storm Sewer Study, prepared by Andrew R. Hipolit of Maser Consulting P.A., dated July 30, 2012, pages 6-9. 7 Ibid, page 69. 8 Ibid, page 32. 9 Ibid, page 146. 10 Ibid, page 145. 11 Ibid, page 146. 12 Ibid, page 96. 13 http://www.state.nj.us/dep/hpo/1identify/nrsr_lists/hudson.pdf 14 2004 Master Plan, page 136. 15 Ibid, page 136.
16 Ibid, page 135. 17 2010 Reexamination Report, page 8. 18 Ibid, page 8. 19 http://hobokennj.org/docs/transportation/City-of-Hoboken-Bicycle-and-Pedestrian-Plan-Final.pdf, page 50. 20 https://onedrive.live.com/view.aspx?resid=2F0F556D773BC90F!2343&app=WordPdf&wdo=2, page 1. 21 http://nj.gov/state/planning/final-plan/final_spp_november%208_pub.pdf, pages 8-9. 22 Memorandum by John Jahr, PTP, TSOS, of Maser Consulting, dated July 5, 2016, “Traffic Planning for Proposed Post Office Redevelopment, City of Hoboken, Hudson County”. 23 Ibid. 24 Image courtesy of https://maps.google.com 25 Image courtesy of https://maps.google.com